Described herein is an operating device for a motor vehicle. The operating device includes a touch-sensitive display apparatus, that is to say a touchscreen, and a control apparatus for receiving a character sequence from a user via a screen keyboard which is displayed on the display apparatus. Also described herein is a motor vehicle which has the operating device. Finally, also described herein is a method for receiving a character sequence from a user by using an operating device in a motor vehicle.
Inputting a character sequence by using a screen keyboard is an efficient way of inputting a character sequence in a motor vehicle in order to stipulate a navigation destination, for example. However, the operation of a screen keyboard also requires such a high degree of attentiveness that it is not desirable for a keyboard to be used by a driver during a journey of the motor vehicle. However, there is also no desire to dispense with the screen keyboard since the character sequence can also be input by a passenger, for example.
In connection with the distinction between a driver and a passenger, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2013/0096771 A1 describes an operating device that receives voice commands and decides, on the basis of voice recognition, whether the voice command is spoken by a driver or a passenger. If the driver speaks the voice command, further operating steps are blocked so that the driver's attention is not distracted from his driving task. However, this requires the driver to speak so that he can be recognized.
German Patent Application Publication 102 49 686 A1 describes an operating device for a motor vehicle which blocks particular functions during a journey of the motor vehicle if the latter is running faster than a speed limit value. Therefore, these functions cannot be used by the driver during the journey. In order to make it possible for a passenger to use the functions, a release button is arranged on the passenger side in such a manner that this button can be reached only by the passenger. The passenger can therefore release the blocked functions by actuating the button. However, this requires additional circuitry in the motor vehicle.
German Patent Application Publication 10 2012 014 074 A1 describes the practice of operating a vehicle function via a portable terminal, the position of which in the passenger compartment is monitored. Depending on the position of the terminal, some functions are blocked in this case, with the result that a driver cannot operate the terminal from his seated position. However, this solution cannot be used for operating devices permanently installed in the motor vehicle.